Trump says he will nominate James McDonald as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York
The Facts
- Trump announced that he intends to nominate James M. McDonald to be the next U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
- McDonald would replace Jay Clayton, whom Trump recently nominated to serve as director of national intelligence.
- McDonald previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York.
- McDonald also served as director of enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission during Trump’s first term.
- Multiple outlets describe McDonald as one of Trump’s personal lawyers or as part of Trump’s legal team in his appeal of the New York hush-money conviction.
- The Southern District of New York post is a high-profile federal prosecutor role that oversees major cases, including prominent Wall Street and other federal matters.
- McDonald’s nomination is not final; the position requires Senate confirmation.
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- The Southern District of New York job is powerful enough that both McDonald’s ties to Trump and his prior enforcement experience are legitimately relevant, with Senate confirmation serving as a real check before he can take over a major federal prosecutor’s office.
- They split on
- Whether this nomination is chiefly a test of prosecutorial independence because McDonald is part of Trump’s legal team, or chiefly a credentialed pick whose prior SDNY and CFTC enforcement record should carry more weight than the personal-lawyer label.
Analytical frames for this storyTap to explore
Context
What is the Southern District of New York job?
It is the U.S. attorney post for the Manhattan-based Southern District of New York, a prominent federal prosecutor’s office that handles many major Wall Street, public corruption, terrorism and other high-profile federal cases Yahoo! Finance,theepochtimes.com.
What is James McDonald’s background?
Sources describe McDonald as a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, a former CFTC enforcement director, and a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell Yahoo,U.S. News & World R…,PBS.org.
What happens next before McDonald can take the job?
McDonald would need to be formally nominated and confirmed by the Senate before serving as U.S. attorney Washington Post,Bloomberg Business.
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Wire services (13)
Independent coverage (38)
ThePrintTrump taps lawyer who helped defend him in hush money case t...
The New Indian ExpressTrump names James M. McDonald to lead powerful New York fede...
Business StandardTrump names James M McDonald to lead New York federal prosec...
NTDTrump Selects James McDonald as US Attorney for Southern Di...
100 Percent Fed UpPresident Trump Names New Pick For One Of America's Most Pow...
The Straits TimesTrump again picks personal lawyer for a top job as US attorn...
The Globe and MailTrump names personal lawyer to lead powerful New York federa...
WTOPTrump names James M. McDonald to lead powerful New York fede...
Fox WilmingtonTrump picks James McDonald to lead powerful Southern Distric...
EconoTimesTrump Names James McDonald as New SDNY U.S. Attorney
YahooTrump taps former commodities regulator, ex-personal attorne...
The New York TimesTrump Again Picks Personal Lawyer for a Top Job, as U.S. Att...
Free Malaysia TodayTrump names James McDonald as US attorney for high-profile N...
NST OnlineTrump names James McDonald as US Attorney for high-profile N...
ABC NewsTrump taps former commodities regulator, ex-personal attorne...
Resist the MainstreamTrump Announces Massive DOJ Nomination
The HillTrump taps James McDonald as US Attorney for Manhattan, repl...
YahooTrump taps James McDonald as US Attorney for Manhattan, repl...
South China Morning PostTrump to name James McDonald - one of his lawyers - as Wall ...
Yahoo! FinanceTrump Taps Lawyer Who Helped Defend Him as Wall Street's Top...
news.bloomberglaw.comTrump Taps Lawyer Who Helped Defend Him as Wall Street's Top...
BreitbartTrump Names His Pick for U.S. Attorney for the Southern Dist...
AccessWDUNTrump names James M. McDonald to lead powerful New York fede...
Crypto BriefingJames McDonald nominated to replace Jay Clayton as US Attorn...
Washington PostTrump to tap former defense team member for powerful Manhatt...
YahooTrump picks James McDonald to lead powerful Southern Distric...
Fox NewsTrump picks James McDonald to lead powerful Southern Distric...
Crypto BriefingJames McDonald to replace Jay Clayton as US Attorney for Sou...
Bloomberg BusinessTrump to Name Ex-CFTC Enforcer McDonald as Wall Street's Top...
news.bloomberglaw.comTrump Taps Sullivan & Cromwell Partner as Top NY Prosecutor ...
The Wall Street JournalTrump Picks Sullivan & Cromwell Partner as Top Manhattan Fed...
POLITICOTrump picks James McDonald to run SDNY
YahooTrump picks James McDonald to run SDNY
New York PostTrump announces pick for US Attorney in Southern District of...
Crypto BriefingTrump names James M. McDonald as US Attorney for Southern Di...
The Spokesman ReviewTrump to name ex-CFTC enforcer McDonald as Wall Street's top...
www.theepochtimes.comTrump Selects James McDonald as US Attorney for Southern Di...
ArcaMaxTrump taps lawyer who helped defend him as Wall Street's top...
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The Architect: Stability, law, enforcement, institutional design, separation of powers, regulatory process, rule of law. How are order and governance maintained?
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